Domoic Acid and the Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery: A brief history of monitoring and current recreational fishery information

Freshly cooked Dungeness Crab
photo by E. Roberts III

The California Department of Public Health’s biotoxin monitoring program began in 1927 in response to a massive poisoning event that occurred after people ate mussels containing high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin. Several deaths and over 100 illnesses were attributed to the event, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Domoic acid, which causes amnesic shellfish poisoning, is another potentially deadly and naturally occurring toxin that may be produced after a “bloom” of a single-celled plant called Pseudo-nitzschia. Blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia do not always produce domoic acid, and there is currently no reliable way to predict where or when a bloom will produce the toxin.

Now Available: Final Marine Protected Area Monitoring Action Plan

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is pleased to announce the final Marine Protected Area (MPA) Monitoring Action Plan (Action Plan) is now available. The Action Plan informs next steps for long-term monitoring of California’s MPA Network by compiling work to date, as well as incorporating novel, quantitative, and expert-informed approaches. The Action Plan prioritizes long-term monitoring that targets key measures, metrics, habitats, sites, species, human uses, and management questions that will inform the evaluation and adaptive management of California’s MPA Network.

Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan Peer Review Report Webinar Set for October 12

Red abalone with telia anemone hitchhiker
CDFW photo by D. Stein

California Ocean Science Trust convened a peer review panel to evaluate the scientific merits of two proposed management strategies that have been developed to support the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in designing a recreational red abalone fishery management plan.

The final report prepared by the peer review panel is now available for review on the California Ocean Science Trust’s Recreational Red Abalone Peer Review web page.

Pacific Herring FMP Peer Review Webinar to be Held on October 9

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently developing a Pacific Herring Fishery Management Plan. California Ocean Science Trust, with support from the Ocean Protection Council, and at the request of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Fish and Game Commission, coordinated an external, independent peer review of the scientific and technical merits of the proposed management strategy within the draft fishery management plan.

Pacific Herring Fishery Management Plan Notice of Preparation and Scoping Meeting for the Environmental Impacts Document

CDFW photo

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and California Fish and Game Commission are preparing a Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii) Fishery Management Plan. CDFW, assisting the Commission under its certified regulatory program, has prepared an initial study, detailed project description, and a preliminary analysis of the environmental impacts pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.

CDFW is inviting interested members of the public to attend a scoping meeting on August 25, 2018 at the Bay Model Visitor’s Center, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA from 10:00 a.m. to noon. The meeting is being held to solicit comments on the environmental impacts of the proposed project and answer questions related to plan development.

The public comment period for this project is from August 17, 2018 through September 21, 2018. Comments may also be submitted by email to CDFW Environmental Scientist Ryan Bartling or by letter to: